Mail chute construction



y 1940- G. A. BRIDGMAN 2,209,070

MAIL CHUTE CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 23, 1940. e. A. BRIDGMAN MAIL CHUTE CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AM a /m 2 1 rrrr Q9 v WE G I x n 1L m x E x If R I7 5 B w 5 INVENTOR Patented July 23, 1940 MAIL OHUTE CONSTRUCTION George A. Bridgman, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Cutler Mail Chute 00., Rochester, N. Y a corporation of New York Application November 23, 1938, Serial No. 242,040

4 Claims.

My present invention relates to mail chute construction and more particularly to erections of the type disclosed in my prior patents, No.

2,019,507, dated November 5, 1935, and No. 5 2,025,193, dated December 24, 1935.

The first of these prior patented devicesis characterized by the fact that, in the provision of a chute for conducting letters in the wellknown manner from the upper stories of a building, where the depositing openings are arranged, to a ground or collection fioor, where a repository box is arranged, the chute is composed of continuous side channels running through the floors of the building and installed concurrently with the erection of the latter, after which back plates are applied to the channel to close it at the rear and sectional removable panels applied between fioors to close it at the front. Thereafter, the wall finishing, such as plaster, marble, Wainscoating, etc., is brought up to the side channels to imbed the chute in the finished wall in contradistinction to applying the chute as a superposed structure to a finished wall, as theretofore.

The later patent has to do with a chute of this same type in which the general construction is as before but it contains the additional feature of fitting the side channels at the rear with securing means enabling back plates of complementary structure to be sprung into engagement therewith from the front as the construction of the chute progresses through the floors of the building.

In both constructions, the unitary side channels are preferably formed of extruded metal and not only define the outer contour of the chute as a whole but interiorly themselves constitute the actual letter conducting passage.

. The present invention has for its general object to promote both theories of construction along the lines of producing side channels of such a mail chute that will shed the falling letters quite as expeditiously on the inside and will lend itself to the desired wall construction on the outside at the same time greatly reducing the cost of manufacture and enabling the architect designing the installation to offer a variety of metallic finishes for the outward appearance of the chute.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

., In the drawings:

1 is a front elevation in vertical section through an upper floor of a mail chute installation constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a fragment of the veneer element of the side chanl nel of the chute; I

Fig. 3 is a corresponding fragment of the body element of the side channel of the chute;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontalcomposite section of the chute which, with reference to Fig. 1 specifically, is taken through two planes, namely, thatindicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, as to the rearward portion, and the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, as to the forward portion, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view on the scale of Figs. 2 and 3 showing the manner in which the parts respectively shown in those figures are assembled.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

As before stated and as set forth in my two prior patents above referred to, the theory of construction to which my present invention is particularly applicable involves providing a rough or base Wall A (Fig-4) of a building in which the chute is erected. Secured to this wall, as by bolts B,,are tie pieces C consisting in particular instances of steel cross bars. The side channels of the mail chute, indicated generally at D, are secured at the rear to these tie pieces by screws E. At the front they are closed by removable panels F consisting of glasslights in frames composed of suitably conformed moldings G. The panels are locked in place under the "supervisory authority of the Post Office Department by keycontrolled locking bars one of which, locking two panels, is provided on each interfioor installation, as indicated in Fig. 1, wherein I is the floor line and K is the ceiling'line, the intermediate floorbeing indicated at L. A ceiling molding structure generally indicated at M fits the inter-floor section to the ceiling, while a base, indicated generally at N, fits it to the floor line. The lower one of the panels F is provided with a letter drop 0. I

The tie pieces C arearranged at intervals and can be placed at any "suitable points for maintaining a rigid structure though, as'shown, they are usually concealed beneath the ceiling and floor structures M and'N. 50

After the side channels D have been installed onthe wall, back pieces '1 are applied to constitute the back letter shed of the actual main conducing chute, on which the side channels D and the front panels F area part. These back panels are preferably of sheet metal and interlock with the side channels as the chute is progressively built up in a manner providing no crevices in which the edges of letters or other mail matter may lodge and cause choking of the chute and also in a manner in which they enclose and conceal the several fastening devices B and E.

In the practice of my present invention, as distinguished from the extruded metal construction of my previous patents above, I form each side channel D primarily of sheet metal plate 2preferably steel, which'is both strong and relatively inexpensive.- A description of one of these side channels will suflice for both. At the rear this plate is bent inwardly at right an gles, as indicated at 3, thence forwardly and laterally outwardly at 4 to double upon itself at 5 on the inside of the chute. The edge 6 is offset forwardly from the inner surface of the portion 3 and is part of the formation of a longitudinal head 7 at this point. Such portions 3, l and 5 constitute an attaching flange through which the fastening screw E extends.

The offset bead 7 materially strengthens the attaching flange in general, but its primary object is to take the attachment of the back plate I. The latter, at its margins, extends rearwardly at 8 and thence upwardly at 9 to constitute-in the'latter provision a short flange adapted to hook over the beaded edge 6 of the attaching flange. Such back plate has suflicient spring and is of just sufficient width so that it can be pressed against the incline of the bead l and snapped over such free edge 6, as appears in Fig. 4. And so progressive sections of the back plate l are attached in upward succession and in a letter shedding seamed relationship as the erection of the chute progresses.

Forwardly, the base plate 2 of the channel at an intermediate point is doubled upon itself in a flat loop l0 and then, further forwardly, it is turned upwardly to form a bevelled flange ll. The portion l0 provides a shelf-like seat for the interiorly engaging portion of the molding G of the front panel F and such molding also cooperates laterally (except for the intervening instrumentality hereinafter described) with the flange II to make a tight joint at this point, for which purpose, of course, the seat In projects inwardly to a greater extent than does the flange l l.

The structure so far described completes the chute so far as the conduct of letters is concerned. The corner l2 resulting from the :angularity of the base plate at the rear is not in itself objectionable as a letter shed but mail matter seldom contacts it in any way in view of the shielding and diverting character of the turned corner of the back plate I.

Nevertheless, for the purposes hereinafter suggested, the side channel D of my present invention is a two-part structure to the extent that I apply to the steel or unfinished base plate 2 thereof a veneer plate l3 covering the same exteriorly and closely superpositioned thereon throughout its extent. At its forward portion, this veneer plate has. an inwardly turned flange l4 terminating in a hooked edge I5. In apply ing it, this edge I5 is so hooked over the bevelled edge of flange Ii, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The rearward portion of the veneer plate is then swung inwardly, as" indicated by the arrow in the same figure, until it abuts the body plate 2 throughout. An inwardly turned flange It at the rear of the veneer plate thereby superpositions itself upon the rear of flange 3 of the base plate 2. It has an opening I! therein that thereby comes in alinement with an opening [8 in such flange 3 to take the screw E and secure both flanges tightly against the tie piece C. An intermediate rearward portion of the veneer plate I3 is looped or doubled in substantially the plane of its general continuity at [9 to take lateral contact with the said tie piece C. In addition to this, such double flange l9 throughout the continuity of the wall surface A forms a spacing means that properly alines the Who-1e channel D as an individual structural element.

This combination of the parts provides an inexpensive but strong side channel construction affording the following additional advantages:

The exterior of the channel member is smooth and regular from the wall A to the interior of the seat contact with the panel molding G. It

can be made of relatively light material to give the desired finish of chromium, bronze or Whatever surface is desired, to harmonize with its surroundings. It protects the body plate 2 of the channel from external exposure and contact with the wall facing construction brought up to it under the theory of construction of my prior patent, No. 2,019,507. On the latter point thus obviously, the veneer while leaving considerations of strength to the inner body plate 2 may be made of a relatively expensive but thin metal that protects such inner element from corrosion and discoloration in general.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a side .channel construction for mail chutes of the type employing separate back pieces, the combination with a sheet metal body plate turned inwardly at right angles at the rear and thence doubled forwardly and outwardly upon itself on the interior to form a wall support attaching flange, the edge of such doubled portion being offset forwardly in spaced relationship to the corner thus formed to constitute an interlock for a complementary back plate ina letter shedding manner, of a metallic plate turned inwardly at right angles at the rear h and thence doubled forwardly and outwardly upon itself on the interior to form a wall support attaching flange, the edge of such doubled por tion being oifset forwardly in spaced relationship to the corner thus formed to constitute an interlock for a complementary back plate in a letter shedding manner, of a metallic veneer plate covering the body plate at the sides, the forward edge of such-veneer plate being hooked over the forward edge of the body plate and its rear portion being flanged in superposed relationship to the Wall support attaching flange of the body plate, and an intermediate portion of said veneer plate being doubled upon itself in the general plane of such veneer plate to constitute a spacing element generally determining the spacing of the side channel from the basic wall construction to which it is attached.

3. In a side channel construction for mail chutes of the type employing separate back pieces,

the combination with a sheet metal body plate turned inwardly at right angles at the rear and thence doubled forwardly and outwardly upon itself on the interior to form a wall support attaching flange, the edge of such doubled portion being ofiset forwardly in spaced relationship to the corner thus formed to constitute an interlock for a complementary back plate in a letter shedding manner and the forward edge of such body plate being provided with an inwardly turned flange adapted to function in seating a front panel closing the front of the mail chute, of a metallic veneer plate covering the body plate at thesides, the forward edge of such veneer plate being provided with an inwardly projecting flange hooked over the forwardly and inwardly projecting flange of the body plate and, the rear portion of such veneer plate being flanged in superposed relationship to the wall support attaching flange of the body plate. l

4. The method of assembling side channel constructions of mail chutes of the type employing separate back pieces cooperating in interlocking engagement with such side channels which embodies providing a side channel body having a rearward wall connecting portion and interiorly thereof a back connecting portion, hooking a veneer portion over the forward edge of such side wall body portion, rotating it upon the general axis of such forward hooked engagement into close superposition upon such body plate and then interlocking the body plate and the veneer portion with a fastening means that secures both of the latter to the wall support.

GEORGE A. BRIDGMAN. 

